I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord. (Ps. 116:17)
Am I the only one who finds himself saying the same things to his kids that his parents said to him? A few things I say repeatedly now are “sit up in your chair” and “look up when someone is talking to you.” My parents had an allergic reaction to what they called slouching, and I’m finding more and more that I have the same condition with my kids. Maybe they were trying to say to me that my posture impacted my ability to be fully present with others.
It is so easy to focus only on the difficult or unsavory conditions around us—like how divisive our culture is or what we do not have. However, what’s more important than our condition is our position in Christ. Maybe we should celebrate more what our circumstances cannot change and what the Enemy can’t shake.
A posture we find in this passage is one of praise. Having a heart that focuses its attention on the goodness of God and gratitude for his faithfulness is vital to our holiness. I have also found that reminding myself of God’s love, grace, and hope often pulls me away from focusing on my condition, so that I can see clearly a God who cares.
Challenge yourself to reject a posture of complaining and accept the practice of praise.
Santes Beatty is director of multiethnic ministries for The Wesleyan Church.
© 2019 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
